Circuit-controlled switch.



W. RICHMOND. CIRCUIT CONTROLLED SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED rm. 18,1909.

949,844. Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

' W. RICHMOND. CIRCUIT CONTROLLED SWITCH.

APPLIOATION FILED I'EB.18, 1909.

949,844. Patented Feb.22, 1910.

34400 wl'oz w'wvmom W. RICHMOND.

cmom CONTROLLED swrrcn. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18, 1909. 7 949,844, Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Emu/Mon WALTER RICHMOND, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

CIRCUIT-CONTROLLED SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

Application filed February 18, 1909. Serial No. 478,612.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVALTER RICHMOND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby, State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful In'iprovements in Circuit-Controlled Switches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to electric switches and has special reference to a switch arranged to be actuated by a circuit changing device.

One object of theinvention is to provide a switch of the character described which may be controlled by a circuit changing device and which in turn controls an electric circuit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch of the character described arranged to be actuated by the same circuit that operates other electrically operated mechanisms.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists, in general, of a pair of contact fingers, a contact bar, and means for moving the bar into or out of engagement with certain of said fingers.

The invention further consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specifically set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and Figure 1 is a top plan view of a switch constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical median longitudinal section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 41 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a top plan view showing one form of my device arranged for a three-pole switch. Fig. 6 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of another form as arranged for a threepole switch. Fig. 8 is a side elevation thereof.

In the form of the invention indicated in Figs. 1 to 4 the numeral 10 indicates the base of the device whereon is mounted a pair of solenoids 11 and 12. These solenoids are arranged in axial alinement and are securely fixed to the base 10 by suitable means.

The end of the base adjacent the solenoids is elevated and on this elevated portion is mounted a pair of contact springs 13 and 13. Opposite the contact springs 13 and 13 1s a similar pair of contact springs 14 and 14.. Within the solenoids is held a floating core 15. Surrounding this core is a yoke 16 wherein the core moves loosely and the yoke is so proportioned that the movement of the core produces a hammer effect upon one or the other of the ends of said yoke. Upon the yoke 16 is mounted an extension 16 whereon is mounted a contact bar 17 of conducting material such as copper or the like, the bar being insulated from the extension 16 by suitable insulation 17 At 18 is indicated a circuit changer which may be thermostatically controlled or may be actuated by any other mechanism such as a float valve in a tank or other like device. At 19 is shown a generator which is to be taken as typical of any suitable source of current and at 20 is a motor typical of any electrically actuated mechanism. The circuit changer 18 is connected to the generator 19 by means of a wire 21 which extends to the end of the circuit changing lever 22. A contact member 23 is connected to the solenoid 11 by means of a wire 24 and a contact member 25 is similarly connected to the solenoid 12 by means of a wire 26. These contacts are so arranged as to be struck by the end of the contact lever 22 as the same is moved in one direction or the other. The solenoid 11 is connected with the contact spring 13 by means of a wire 27 and this contact spring is also connected to the motor 20 by means of a wire 28. From the generator 19 a wire 29 extends to the contact spring 13 and from that spring a wire 30 extends to the contact spring 14. The solenoid 12 is connected by a wire 31 with the contact spring 14;.

In the operation of the devlce let it be supposed that the lever 22 is in contact with the point 23 and the bar 17 engaged with the springs 13 and 13. Current will flow from the generator 19 through the wire 21, lever 22, contact 23, wire 2d, solenoid 11, wire 27, contact spring 13, bar 17, and wire 29 back to the generator 19. The result of this will be to energize the solenoid 11 which causes the core 15 to move toward the center of this solenoid, striking the yoke 16 and causing the bar 17 to be drawn back into contact with the springs 14 and 14:. If the bar 17 is in contact with the springs 13 and 13 and the lever 22 out of contact with either the point 23 or 25, the current will flow from the generator 19 through the wire 21, motor 20, wire 28, spring 13, member 17, spring 13 and back to the generator through the wire 29. If the member 17 is in contact with the springs 14 and 14: and the lever 22 moves to contact with the point 25, current will flow from the generator 19 through the wire 21, lever 22, wire 26, solenoid 12, wire 31, spring 14, member 17, spring 14, wire 30 and back to the generator through the wire 29. This will cause the solenoid 12 to be energized and the member 17 moved from the springs 14 and 1 1 and engaged with the springs 13 and 13. It will be obvious that when the member 17 is out of engagement with the springs 13 and 13 no current can flow through the motor 20, and that consequently the thermostat or other device which operates the lever 22 will control the operation of the motor 20.

In the form shown in Figs. 5 to 8 there is provided the usual base 10, solenoids 11 and 12, core 15, yoke 16, contact springs 1a and 14c and contact bar 17. In the term shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the member 17 is guided in suitable grooves 32 formed in a frame 33 which supports a plurality of sets of contact fingers 34, and the yoke 16 is further extended as at 35. Upon this extended portion are mounted contact bars 36 so that when the circuit is closed through one set of the fingers 34. it will be simultaneously closed through all of the other sets. The other arrangement of the wiring is precisely similar to that previously described. The term shown in Figs. 7 and S difiers only in that the fingers 3 1 are arranged in vertical position instead of being longitudinally spaced along the frame. It will be obvious that there is no limit to the number of circuits that may be closed by this arrangement since all that is necessary is to provide more or fewer sets of contact fingers 3% according to the number of circuits desired to be closed and that either of the last arrangements may be used for closing any number of circuits.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and proportions of the invention without departing from the material principles thereof. It is not, therefore, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but

it is wished to include all such as properly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

1. In a device of the class described, a base, a pair of spaced contact fingers held thereon, a second pair of spaced contact fingers in spaced relation to the first pair, a contact bar adapted to connect one or the other pair of said fingers, a pair of solenoids in axial alineinent, a core held in said solenoids and actuating said bar, a two-ponit switch, wires leading from the points of said switch to the separate solenoids, a connection between one of said solenoids and one of the first mentioned contact fingers, a second connection between the other solenoid and one of the second mentioned fingers, a third connection between the remaining contact fingers, and circuit wires leading from each of the first mentioned contact fingers.

2. In a device of the class described, a base, a pair of spaced contact fingers held thereon, a plurality of pairs of other spaced contact fingers in spaced relation to the first pair, a contact bar adapted to connect the first pair of spaced contact fingers and one pair of the plurality of other contact fingers, other contact bars adapted to connect the remaining pairs of said plurality of contact fingers when the first contact bar connects one pair of said plurality, a pair of solen oids in axial alinement, a core held in said solenoids and actuating said contact bars, a two-point switch, wires leading from the points of said switch to the separate solenoids, a connection between one of said solenoids and one of the first mentioned contact fingers, a second connection between the other solenoid and one of the second mentioned fingers, a third connection between the other finger of the first mentioned pair and the other finger of the pair to which said second connection leads, and circuit wires leading from each of the first mentioned contact fingers.

In testimony whereof, I aifix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

YVALTER RICHMOND.

\Vitnesses J. V. TAYLOR, C. JoriNs'roN. 

